Breaking news reporter

A New Zealand tourist has been shot dead in Argentina by two men on motorcycles who attempted to snatch his bag.

The man, aged in his early 30s, was walking with two other tourists through a park in the city of Mendoza when the group was ambushed about 4pm on Monday.

He died at the scene, near the entrance to the Malvinas Argentinas stadium in General San Martin Park.

Initial reports from Argentina suggested the man was Australian, but a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson on Tuesday said that was not the case.

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“Consular officials have followed up on reports of the death of a male tourist in a robbery in Argentina. The man is not an Australian citizen," the spokesperson said.

The victim is from New Zealand, and the New Zealand Embassy in Buenos Aires is providing consular support.

The thieves reportedly tried to grab the man's backpack but he resisted and fell to the ground during the struggle, according to Todo Noticias, an Argentinian news channel.

The thieves then opened fire on the man before fleeing on their motorcycle.

Juan Carlos Caleri, the Mendoza police chief, told Todo Noticias that the man had "at least two gunshot wounds, one in the neck and another in the chest".

He was believed to be still conscious when paramedics arrived, but died soon after at the scene.

A man, who asked not to be named, said he studied with Heyward at Southern Cross University, near Lismore in New South Wales, and described him as a great guy.

"He was a super nice guy, well liked, never heard a bad word about him."

Heyward lived his early life in South Australia, before moving to Lismore to study for six or seven years, he said. For the past few years he had travelled the world and would be missed by a lot of people, he said.

"There will be some very sad people in Lismore, and all over the world after hearing this."

Two other tourists, an Australian woman and a French man, were walking with the man at the time of the shooting and are giving statements to police.

A police helicopter searched the area but was unable to find the offenders, one of whom was described as having a shaved head. Initial reports suggested they may have been in their teens.

Police were scouring the neighbourhood of La Favorita in Mendoza, where the offenders are believed to have fled.

The Argentinian Security Ministry also offered a reward of 40,000 pesos ($5400 AUD) for information leading to the arrest of the offenders.

The victim had been staying at Itaka Hostel in Mendoza since Saturday.

Fabyan Calle, who works at the hostel, told Fairfax Media the police had come to the hostel following the man's death on Monday afternoon.

"We can't talk to his friends or anything, they are with the police right now. We just heard the news, and then after that the police came here," he said.

"I know that they were by the park and someone tried to mug him," Mr Calle said.

"He went outside from the hostel this morning and never came back."

Mr Calle said the man was staying at the hostel with two others and was due to check out on Wednesday. They are believed to be the pair who were with him when he was shot.

"I think they were friends, the three of them. I think with the French guy, they met two weeks ago here in Argentina and started travelling together."

Mr Calle said General San Martin Park was generally safe.

"The main part is not too dangerous but [other parts] could be. We're always trying to tell the tourists which part to go to," he said.

Mendoza is on the eastern side of the Andes and is a popular stopover destination for adventure travellers and climbers heading into the mountains.